Idli, sambhar and chutney is a classic South Indian breakfast that is prepared and savored by almost all the households in India. Typically Idlis are made of fermented rice and urad dal (lentil) batter but lately there have been many variations to this classic dish, mostly to reduce the preparation time or add more flavors. I have also tried different versions of Idli and I like the Quinoa & Oats Idli the most as it is by far the quickest and healthier version of all that I have tried. These fluffy and soft Idlis are sure to brighten up your morning.
Traditionally Idlis are eaten for breakfast, but I enjoy eating these delicious soft Idlis for any meal of the day! These Quinoa & Oats Idlis can be prepared in less than 45 minutes including grinding flour and resting the batter for few minutes. Unlike rice Idlis, these do not need any soaking of dals or fermentation which saves so much time and efforts. Just grind the Quinoa and Oats, mix with rava and yogurt, rest the mixture for few minutes and ta-da you are ready to pour the batter into Idli trays. So easy and time saving especially on those busy work days. Moreover, these Quinoa & Oats Idlis are packed with nutrients.
Nutritional Value
Quinoa as we know is one of the super foods. But, is it a super grain or super seed? Fun fact - Widely known as whole grain, Quinoa is actually a seed from amaranth family. This super food is high in fiber, full of antioxidants and minerals, rich in protein, yet lean. Due to such high nutritional value, Quinoa provides great health benefits and also serves as one of the popular diet foods for those trying to lose some extra pounds. :)
Oats are incredibly nutritious, in fact they are considered one of the healthiest grains of all. They are an excellent source of minerals, vitamins, antioxidants, fibers and protein. According to various sources, Oats have many health benefits including lowering cholesterol, maintain blood sugar, and help you keep fuller for longer.
So without further ado, See recipe video below followed by detailed step by step recipe...
Serves 4-6
Prepare time - 25 minutes
Cook time - 15 minutes
Ingredients
1/2 Cup quinoa
1/2 Cup oats
1/2 Cup rava
1/2 Cup curd/yogurt
1/3 Cup sweet corn (optional)
2 Cup water
1 Tsp salt
1 Tsp fruit salt or baking soda
Water for steamer
Oil for greasing Idli trays
Instructions
Start by dry roasting oats in a pan on a medium flame for 2 to 3 minutes. Blend the dry roasted oats into a fine flour in the blender and transfer into a large mixing bowl.
Now dry roast quinoa for 2-3 minutes in the same pan and blend it to fine flour in a blender. Transfer the quinoa flour in the mixing bowl along with oats flour.
Dry roast rava in the pan and add to the mixing bowl.
Add salt and give everything a nice mix.
Next add yogurt and mix again. Now add water little at a time to make a smooth runny batter. Cover the bowl with a lid and rest the batter for 15 minutes.
In the meanwhile, take Idli steamer and add 1 1/2 cup water to it. Turn on the flame at medium to start heating up the water inside. Also, grease the Idli trays with oil and keep them aside.
After 15 minutes, check the batter to see if you need to add any water as the flours would have soaked all the extra water. Now, the batter should be of thick consistency but if it looks dry then adjust it by adding little water as required.
Now add sweet corn and stir in the fruit salt or baking soda in the batter, it will form some foam on the top which is fine.
Take a spoon and start pouring the batter into greased Idli trays.
Place the trays in the steamer and close the lid. Turn the flame on medium high and set the timer for 14 minutes.
After 14 minutes, turn off the flame and open the steamer after 5 minutes. Take off the Idli trays and let them cool down for another 5-10 minutes.
Gently scoop out the soft and spongy Idlis from the trays, transfer them to a bowl and cover them with a lid or cloth to keep the Idlis soft.
Serve these light and fluffy Quinoa & Oats Idlis with coconut chutney and hot piping sambhar to make a perfect breakfast!
Additional notes/ tips
I have only added sweet corn but you can add veggies like carrots or peas whatever is available in your refrigerator.
You can dry roast the quinoa, oats and rava ahead of time and keep them in airtight container to save some extra time.
You can also blend the dry roasted quinoa and oats to fine flour ahead of time.
Quinoa as we know is one of the super foods. But, is it a super grain or super seed? Fun fact - Widely known as whole grain, Quinoa is actually a seed from amaranth family. Nicole Spiridakis wrote in a story for NPR, "The yellowish pods are the seed of a plant called Chenopodium quinoa, native to Peru and related to beets, chard and spinach."
This super food is high in fiber, full of antioxidants and minerals, rich in protein, yet lean. Due to such high nutritional value, Quinoa provides great health benefits and also serves as one of the popular diet foods for those trying to lose some extra pounds. :)
I have been using Quinoa for quite a few years now. I have successfully tried multiple different combinations of spices and vegetables with quinoa, making this super food a part of our meals at the house. Let me share one of these recipes that also happens to be the most favorite Quinoa recipe of my family. So without further ado, let's start with preparing what I call - the Mexican Quinoa.
1 3/4 cup water 1 can black beans 15 oz (rinsed and washed)
1 medium tomato
1 large slice of red bell pepper (optional)
1 small red onion (1/2 cup when chopped)
1/2 cup boiled corn kernels 4-5 spring onions
1/2 cup fresh cilantro
For dressing -
1/4 cup Extra virgin olive oil 1.5 tsp Cumin powder
1 Lemon
Salt to taste 1 tsp Red chili flakes (add more if like more spicy) 1/2 tsp Black pepper
Take quinoa in a bowl and wash them well, until the water runs clean. Now add Quinoa, water, salt, olive oil to the Instant pot to cook them for 1 minutes on manual high pressure and let the pressure release naturally. Alternatively, you can cook Quinoa in a big pot on the gas stove. Boil 5-6 cups of water, add quinoa and cook them for about 10-12 minutes.
While Quinoa is cooking, finely chop all the vegetables - tomato, onion, red bell pepper, and spring onions.
To make the dressing, take a small bowl and add extra virgin olive oil to it. Add cumin powder, red chili flakes, salt and black pepper and give it a good stir. At the end, squeeze in lemon juice and whisk it all together.
Now, open the lid of the Instant pot, stir quinoa just a little to check if its properly done. Quinoa should be soft and fluffy just like the picture below. Drain the quinoa under cold water and transfer them to a large bowl. Let them cool completely.
After that, add beans and veggies including corn and cilantro to the quinoa along with the prepared dressing. Lightly toss everything together so that the quinoa get coated well in the dressing.
Our Mexican quinoa is ready to eat. You can eat it warm or after it cools down. Take some prepared quinoa in a plate and serve them with fresh avocado slices or tostadas.
This recipe is so easy to make yet it is healthy, fulfilling and tasty. I am sure you and your family will also enjoy this one pot meal much like my family does.
Notes -
For this recipe you can use either multi-color or white quinoa, whichever is available.
I have taken canned beans, they are pre-cooked. If you are using raw beans, soak them for at least 5-6 hours and pressure cook them. You can do this step a day prior and store the beans in refrigerator if desired.
Corn kernels can be canned or you can boil corn ahead of time.
Simply exclude red onions and spring onions if you don't eat onions.
